The Dora di Veny and the Dora di Ferret

At the foot of Mont Blanc, two valleys frame the massif on the Italian side: Val Veny to the south-west and Val Ferret to the north-east. Each has its own stream. The two meet near Entrèves, above Courmayeur, and form the Dora Baltea.

The Dora di Veny

It rises from the glaciers on the south face of Mont Blanc, especially the Miage and the Brenva. Its bed is wide and stony: the water splits into several channels that shift from one flood to the next. Its milky colour comes from the fine rock dust the glaciers grind from the mountain.

The Dora di Ferret

It flows down from the head of Val Ferret, below the pass of the same name, and collects water from the Grandes Jorasses and Triolet glaciers. It winds through meadows and larches before joining its twin.

Through the seasons

• In summer, melting glaciers swell both streams, especially in the afternoon.
• In winter, the flow drops sharply and Val Ferret becomes a cross-country skiing area.

Main photo: Half Horse Design, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Maps: personal work by Marc Badjou.